CAPVA- First Regional Lead
We are pleased to introduce our new Merseyside Regional Lead –Child to Parent Abuse, Helen Last.
We are pleased to introduce our new Merseyside Regional Lead – Child to Parent Abuse, Helen Last.
This is an exciting role – the first of its kind for Respect. Helen's role gives Respect a great opportunity to increase the response to CAPVA within the Merseyside area.
Before joining Respect as the Merseyside Regional Lead – Child to Parent Abuse, Helen spent over 25 years in Primary Education across a range of settings as a teacher, Lead Practitioner, and subsequently within Primary School Senior Leadership.
Specialising in Attachment and Trauma, she has gained a great deal of experience in safeguarding and mental health topics, including neurodivergent affirming approaches and toxic stress awareness.
Helen has worked directly with families and young people impacted by trauma - having direct personal involvement with families with lived experiences of domestic abuse including CAPVA, in her role as Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL).
In line with clear data and recommendations within Liverpool John Moore's University CAPVA research study 2023, this Regional Lead Role will create and build strong working relationships with a variety of professionals across dedicated services such as Health, Education, Early Help and Children’s Services.
The fully funded three-year project will aim to achieve clear goals so that:
- Practitioners working with young people and their families in the Merseyside area have a central point of contact for support and advice
- Professionals can better recognise and respond to CAPVA
- Universal services, such as Health and Education, have access to CAPVA general awareness training and specialist skills training
- Services are carefully designed by the people that they impact, are relevant and meet their needs.
The development stage of the role will allow us to reach out to key statutory and voluntary sector agencies to build strong relationships, deliver CAPVA awareness training to managers and service leads, develop a multi-agency steering group and work closely with organisations already engaged with parents. This will allow us to identify what is needed and co-develop plans for improved services.
Once developed, our delivery phase of the project will ensure that we build a network of trained practitioners across Merseyside by delivering the Respect Young People's Programme (RYPP) specialist skills training courses and CAPVA awareness training course to a wide variety of practitioners - offering weekly surgeries of 1-2-1 practice sessions, supporting professionals with their case work queries.
Additionally, running a series of focus groups and interviews with parents affected by CAPVA will help to keep improving future service design.
Through the development of clear and concise referral pathways across Merseyside, we will aim to reduce the stigma and shame often associated with CAPVA. The project will empower parents/caregivers to know that they can reach out in confidence, be listened to and fully supported.
Special thanks to The Peter and Dorothy Robinson Charitable Trust for supporting with this project.
